One of the world’s rarest fossil beds, located within a city center, is shedding light on the prehistoric life of Anatolia. The excavation site at Corakyerler in Cankiri, under the direction of Professor Ayla Sevim Erol of Ankara University‘s faculty of languages, history and geography, has unearthed thousands of fossilized remains dating back 8.5 million to 9 million years.

Speaking at the “Cankiri Corakyerler Vertebrate Fossil Locality” conference during the 10th Kastamonu City History Museum Science Days, Erol emphasized that such urban fossil beds are exceptionally rare globally. “Nature has left us a 10-million-year-old heritage right in the middle of Cankiri,” she said. “There is no other example like this in the world.”

Rare fossils tell story of prehistoric Anatolia

The fossils unearthed include juvenile rhinoceros skulls from extinct horse species known as hipparions, ancestors of modern elephants, large horned cattle resembling bison, early giraffid species, and goat-like wild ungulates. These remains point to a once-lush and water-rich environment in central Anatolia during the late Miocene period.

A total of 4,320 identifiable fossils from 43 different species have been catalogued.

“Unlike our early years of excavation when fossils were mostly scattered and disjointed, recent findings show more articulated specimens, which means the preservation conditions have improved,” Erol noted.

Hominis may have migrated from Anatolia to Africa

One of the most striking findings from the site is its potential impact on human studies. Fossilized remains linked to Anadoluvius turkae suggest that hominins may have lived in the region before migrating to Africa due to increasing aridity.

“The earliest known hominin fossil in Africa dates back around 7 million years,” explained Erol. “However, the Corakyerler hominin remains are dated to over 8 million years ago, suggesting that hominins may have originated or passed through Anatolia before spreading to Africa.”

Fossil destruction underlines need for protection

Despite the site’s global significance, it has faced serious threats. In the late 1990s, fossils were unintentionally destroyed due to road construction over the site—even with museum authorization. “We were trying to protect what nature had preserved for 10 million years, but it was wiped out in an hour,” Erol lamented.

Efforts to preserve the Corakyerler site have been ongoing since its rediscovery in 1997, when its similarity to the Kalecik Candir fossil site first caught researchers’ attention. Earlier fossils unearthed in the region were taken to Germany under a previous project and never returned to Türkiye.

Hidden fossil treasures beneath Anatolian soil

According to Erol, Türkiye is rich in fossil beds due to its marine past, but terrestrial fossil sites remain rare and precious. She also pointed out that reptiles like Mozazarus—often confused with dinosaurs—lived in the region, although no true dinosaur fossils have been found since the area was submerged during the Mesozoic Era.

Erol concluded that with continued research and preservation, Corakyerler could remain an active fossil locality for decades to come, offering unparalleled insights into prehistoric ecosystems and migration patterns.

May 05, 2025 04:41 PM GMT+03:00